Burke, right, is interviewed by Shane Battier of the Heat and Birmingham Detroit Country Day after the selection. / Associated Press

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Detroit Free Press Sports Writer

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — For the first time in 19 years, Michigan was a major player in the NBA draft.

Trey Burke was selected lower than he expected at No. 9 and Tim Hardaway Jr. might have been higher at No. 24 on Thursday night, but in the end it was historic — they were Michigan’s first pair of first-round picks since 1994.

“Me and Trey have been through it all,” Hardaway said. “To get picked in the first round goes down in Michigan history. It’s a great opportunity, and we thank coach (John) Beilein, and we really appreciate it.”

Yet it wasn’t smooth for Burke at the Barclays Center.

Nothing has come easy, from having only two Big Ten offers out of high school to criticism of his athleticism in the predraft process. So it was no surprise when he faced more adversity in the draft by falling in the first round, below the expected landing spot with New Orleans at 6, then passed by the Pistons at 8.

As if that wasn’t enough, when he was picked by Minnesota at No. 9, he was traded 5 minutes later to Utah.

“My mind was pretty much everywhere,” Burke said, hours later after waiting for the trade to become official. “I was just ready to figure out where I was going to finally end up. Now that I’m at Utah, I’m definitely thrilled for the opportunity.”

It worked out as good as possible, with all three of Utah’s point guards unrestricted free agents this summer.

But that waiting game, he’ll never forget.

“I think the only reason why I kind of got a little nervous after Detroit is because I didn't really work out for any teams after that,” he said. “I didn’t know how far I was going to slip back into the draft. So I was just waiting for someone to call my name. … I don’t know what to really think right now. I’m happy to be at Utah. I’m just ready to get my career started.”

Burke still managed a smile, but those who passed on the national player of the year will stay with him.

“I think the type of player that I am, I definitely get motivated by things like that,” he said. “Teams passing up on me. Not knowing what to expect at the end of the day. So I definitely think it will motivate me. It will make me get in the gym more. Just get better, continue to work hard.”

Still the first point guard taken — C.J. McCollum and Michael Carter-Williams were 10th and 11th — he made history as the highest U-M draft pick since Jamal Crawford went No. 8 to Chicago in 2000.

With Beilein watching from the front row of the stands, Burke became the first U-M player drafted since his point guard predecessor, Darius Morris, went No. 41 in 2011 and Beilein’s first-ever first-round pick in 35 years of college coaching.

He didn’t have to wait long for his second as Hardaway was grabbed by the Knicks, his father’s archrival team as a Miami Heat player. Yet when the pick was made, the New York fans, including Spike Lee, cheered, and his father let the past fade.

“He said, ‘I love you, I’m a huge fan of yours no matter what,’ ” Hardaway said after watching the draft with family and friends at a Miami restaurant.